CAM (Crassulacean acid metabolism) plants
- Plants that assimilate carbon dioxide using a pathway in which the carbon
dioxide is fixed into organic acids during the night and released during the day
for photosynthesis. Characteristic of succulent desert plants.

Endangered
Natural Phenomenon - A spectacular aspect of the life history of an animal
or plant species involving a large number of individuals that is threatened with
impoverishment or demise; the species per se need not be in peril, rather, the
phenomenon it exhibits is at stake.

Evolution- the progressive increase in the adaptation of organisms to their environment
as a result of successive change in the kinds and frequencies of genes that occur
in populations.

Gene flow- The consequence
of cross-fertilization between members of a species across boundaries between
populations, or within populations, which results in the spread of genes across
and between populations.

Migration- The movement of individuals and commonly whole populations from one region
to another.

Migratory corridors-
In this report, this refers specifically to the geographic path an animal follows
to get from wintering grounds to summering grounds or vice versa. These
paths can be continuous habitat or a network of suitable habitats in a stepping
stone arrangement as in nectar corridors.

Mobile
links- Mobile keystone species that influence the survival or reproductive
success of other species through their movement over a geographic area such as
highly specific pollinators.

MtDNA
(mitochondrial DNA)- A single strand of DNA in the mitochondria of animals
inherited through the egg cytoplasm (maternal inheritance).

Mutations- A spontaneous change in the genetic composition
of an organism at the gene, chromosome, or genomic level. Mutations
usually refer to alterations to new allelic forms, and represent new material
for evolutionary change.

Mutualism-
An interspecific relationship in which both organisms benefit, frequently a relationship
of complete dependence.

Nucleotide-
The subunit, or chain-link, in DNA and RNA, composed of a sugar, a base, and at
least one phosphate group.

Phenology- Strictly
speaking, this refers to the study of periodic biological events: in practice
it is often applied to the periodic phenomena themselves, such as flowering in
plants.

Plant-pollinator interaction- The interaction between plants and pollinators whereby the pollinator consumes
nectar and/or pollen resulting in the transfer of pollen (genetic material) between
plants.

Pollen load- The type and quantity of pollen carried (attached) to an individual pollinator.

Pollination- The transfer of pollen from the anther of a flower to the stigma of the
same flower, a flower on the same plant, or a flower on another plant depending
on the species resulting in fertilization and seed set.

Pollinator- An animal that transfers
pollen from one flower to another usually in the process of eating nectar and/or
pollen.

Pollinator mutualism-
An interaction between individuals of two (or more) species in which the
growth, growth rate and/or population size of both are increased in a reciprocal
association, where this association specifically refers to the consumption of
nectar and/or pollen and subsequent transfer of genetic material from one plant
to another by a pollinator species.

Post-maternity
roost- In this report, this refers specifically to the roosts that lesser
long-nosed bats use after they leave the maternity roosts.

Recombination- The formation in offspring of combinations of genes not present in either
parent. This results from the assortment of chromosomes and their genes
during the production of gametes and the subsequent union of different sorts of
gametes at fertilization.

Refueling stop
- A break in the migration journey for the purposes of replenishing fat
reserves necessary for continuation of
the trip.